Psalms 35:6-16

6 Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the LORD persecute them.

7 For without cause they have hid for me their net [in] a pit, [which] without cause they have digged for my soul.

8 Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall.

9 And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in his salvation.

10 All my bones shall say, LORD, who [is] like thee, who deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, even the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him?

11 False witnesses arose; they laid to my charge [things] that I knew not.

12 They rewarded me evil for good [to] the spoiling of my soul.

13 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing [was] sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into my own bosom.

14 I behaved myself as though [he had been] my friend [or] brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth [for his] mother.

15 But in my adversity they rejoiced, and assembled themselves: [yes], the abjects assembled themselves against me, and I knew [it] not; they did tear [me], and ceased not:

16 With hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth.

Psalms 35:6-16 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 35

\\<<[A Psalm] of David>>\\. This psalm seems to have been written by David, when he was persecuted by Saul; and when many false charges were brought against him by his courtiers; and when he was the scorn and derision of the people; the subject of it is pretty much of the same kind with the seventh psalm, and might be written about the same time that was, and on the same occasion; and it may be applied to the church and people of God in like cases. There is a passage in it, Ps 35:19, which our Lord seems to refer to and apply to himself, Joh 15:25; and some interpret the whole of it concerning him. The Arabic version calls it a prophecy of the incarnation; though there does not appear any thing in it applicable to that.